SilentStrider:Reagan had eight years in power as president, instituting policies we're still trying to get out from under. Cruz doesn't have near that power now, and hopefully WILL never have that power.

I can see him easily getting the 2016 nomination. Winning the general? No way. But getting the nomination? Totally. After the disaster of Romney, I can see things going full on derp at the convention. I know it's still three years out, but things look like they're going to dial the derp up to 11.

Irving Maimway:SilentStrider: Reagan had eight years in power as president, instituting policies we're still trying to get out from under. Cruz doesn't have near that power now, and hopefully WILL never have that power.

I can see him easily getting the 2016 nomination. Winning the general? No way. But getting the nomination? Totally. After the disaster of Romney, I can see things going full on derp at the convention. I know it's still three years out, but things look like they're going to dial the derp up to 11.

One side effect of the Overton Window crawling ever-rightward is that the GOP has nowhere to go but "insane".

Sometimes I wonder if even the John Birch Society is "too liberal" for the Teabaggers.

Irving Maimway:SilentStrider: Reagan had eight years in power as president, instituting policies we're still trying to get out from under. Cruz doesn't have near that power now, and hopefully WILL never have that power.

I can see him easily getting the 2016 nomination. Winning the general? No way. But getting the nomination? Totally. After the disaster of Romney, I can see things going full on derp at the convention. I know it's still three years out, but things look like they're going to dial the derp up to 11.

If they follow the "taking turns" methodology it's gong to be either Paul Ryan or Rick Santorum.

Power-brokerage is less clear, Rove did some dirt and may or may not be a part of the game now, the Kochs have a short attenton span, and the whole thing is shadowy.

Dr Dreidel:Irving Maimway: SilentStrider: Reagan had eight years in power as president, instituting policies we're still trying to get out from under. Cruz doesn't have near that power now, and hopefully WILL never have that power.

I can see him easily getting the 2016 nomination. Winning the general? No way. But getting the nomination? Totally. After the disaster of Romney, I can see things going full on derp at the convention. I know it's still three years out, but things look like they're going to dial the derp up to 11.

One side effect of the Overton Window crawling ever-rightward is that the GOP has nowhere to go but "insane".

Sometimes I wonder if even the John Birch Society is "too liberal" for the Teabaggers.

They're going insane awfully fast, too. As recently as a few weeks ago the local (Boston-area) right-wing radio station was at least coherent. The hosts and callers were at least similar to the right-wing trolls we get here - unaware and uncaring about all the facts of the issues they whined about, but at least their whines made sense given that context. Just listening every so often the past week, it's been ridiculous. Today they were whining about the hostage situation in Africa and saying that it's going to happen here next - blaming Islam and left-wingers as always (but this time without any real reason why) and generally worried that this attack will cause the US to finally ban AR-15s for some reason. And at one point the host said that a caller wouldn't come on the air because she claimed her phone was being tapped and when he spoke with her off the air she asked him personal questions because she didn't believe she was talking to him personally, she thought he had been replaced by the government because he wasn't sticking to the narrative 100%. Of course, the host pointed the finger not at himself for spreading a message of fear and hate but at Obama for creating this level of paranoia in our nation.

These people are getting more and more afraid because they are told to be more and more afraid. The next national election is over a year away and I'm genuinely worried what these people who are being fed constant doses of fear and hate will do either before the elections or after them when it doesn't go their way.

AdmirableSnackbar:And at one point the host said that a caller wouldn't come on the air because she claimed her phone was being tapped and when he spoke with her off the air she asked him personal questions because she didn't believe she was talking to him personally, she thought he had been replaced by the government because he wasn't sticking to the narrative 100%. Of course, the host pointed the finger not at himself for spreading a message of fear and hate but at Obama for creating this level of paranoia in our nation.

Cruz looks like some alien scout from a hostile, warlike empire sent here to placate/prepare the humanpigs for the arrival of the X'goth Meat Harvester Ships, but his human disguise doesn't look quite right.

Irving Maimway:I can see him easily getting the 2016 nomination. Winning the general? No way. But getting the nomination? Totally. After the disaster of Romney, I can see things going full on derp at the convention. I know it's still three years out, but things look like they're going to dial the derp up to 11.

Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can start to recover.